Adelaide Zoo opened in 1883 by the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society; Thomas Elder donates first elephant

Miss Siam, Adelaide Zoo's first elephant, donated in 1883 by Thomas Elder, president of the South Australian Zoological and Acclimatisation Society.
Image by Frederick Charles Krichauff, courtesy State Library of South Australia

The Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of South Australia emerged in 1882 as a name change from the South Australian Acclimatisation Society founded in 1878.

Eventually, the society persuaded the governors of the Botanic Garden to hand over part of its land, north of the River Torrens next to the Albert Bridge, between Adelaide city and North Adelaide.

This is where  Adelaide Zoological Gardens opened in 1883 as the second in Australia and modelled on the major European zoos particularly, Regents Park in London.

Adding a zoo to the museum, library, art gallery and botanic garden was part of the wave of civic pride – boosted by competition with the other colonies and seeking approval from Britain and Europe.  

In 1881, the South Australian Acclimatisation and Zoological Society (before it became the South Australian Zoological and Acclimatisation Society the next year) made its first request to the governors of the Botanic Gardens asking for part of their land near the lunatic asylum of North Terrace to establish a zoo. The governors were reluctant, partly because North Terrace residents feared animals would break out or keep them awake at night. Eventually, with a supporting petition signed by 1500, six hectares north of the River Torrens near Albert Bridge were secured for the zoo.

With government support, as well as subscriptions and benefactors, the Adelaide Zoological Gardens were formally opened in 1883.

Buildings at what society president Thomas Elder said would be Adelaide’s “pleasure garden” soon included a keeper’s lodge, a ladies’ waiting room, separate “paddock” for ostrich, llama, brahman cattle and emu, a “most commodious” carnivora house, “sheds” for baboons, monkeys, wombats and parrots, aviaries, a bearpit “that will enable visitors to witness to great advantage the antics of the Java sun bear” and a “house” for Miss Siam, the elephant who in 1883 was donated “so graciously” by Thomas Elder.

In 1937, to celebrate the society’s diamond jubilee, King George VI granted it came the right to use the “Royal” prefix and “Acclimatisation” was removed.  Later, the society was more commonly known as Zoos SA.